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Study Skills

Nancy Maggard

Regional Manager Johnson County

September 9, 2015

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Understanding Study Skills

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Can you identify good study skills vs. bad study skills?

Studying with too much noise

Disorganized school materials

Cramming for a test or quiz

Flash cards

Pulling an “all-nighter”

Studying while watching TV

Asking Questions

Color coding

Studying in designated study areas

Study Groups (all the time)

Scheduling study times

Planning ahead

Not using an academic planner

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Can you identify good study skills vs. bad study skills?

Bad Study Skills

• Cramming for a test or quiz

• Pulling an “all-nighter”

• Studying while watching TV

• Disorganized school materials

• Not using an academic planner

• Study Groups (all the time)

• Studying with too much noise

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Can you identify good study skills vs. bad study skills?

Good Study Skills

•Studying in designated study areas

•Scheduling study times

•Color coding

•Planning ahead

•Flash cards

•Asking Questions

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Identify Poor Study Strategies

Distracted: “Studying” while watching a favorite TV show

Unorganized: Messy study area or notebooks

Multitasking: Facebooking, tweeting or texting while studying

Procrastinating: Starting to study for a test or quiz the night before

Social Butterfly: Only studies with friends and never alone

Are your child’s study habits down in the DUMPS?

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Introduce Effective Study Strategies

Clarity: Ask the right questions to understand the assignment

Learning Preference

Assigned Study Time: Make sure to study when most productive (morning, afternoon, evening)

Schedule: Use a planner and make sure everyone is aware of important deadlines

Study Area: Create a comfortable, distraction-free area to optimize studying

Introduce these habits to get them to the head of the CLASS

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How to Create a Good Study Environment at Home

Good lighting Enough outlets to charge devices Sturdy work surface (table, desk or lap

desk) Comfortable seat Limited distractions Place for supplies (pens, pencils,

highlighters, paper, sticky notes, index cards, etc.)

NO TEXTING during key study times

Allow your child to experiment with the space to see what works best for them!

Checklist

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Now that you’ve laid the ground work for your child to be effective in his

or her studying, it’s time to deploy actual study skills and strategies

to make this the most successful school year yet!

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Study Skills & Strategies:Study Skills Essentials

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Time Management Skills

Use a planner

•Helps students keep track of homework, tests, long-term projects, extracurricular activities, social engagements and other appointments

•For younger kids, mark these down on a large family calendar in the kitchen and talk them through the upcoming schedule

Recognize peak productivity

•Find out when your child is at peak productivity (morning, afternoon, night) and schedule in tasks that are most complex and demanding

•Encourage your child to block out their peak productivity times as study times before they accidentally schedule other things during those times

Work the weekly schedule• Introduce the benefits of a weekly schedule to help them learn

how to map out their week and plan their time more wisely

Itemize tasks• Following the weekly schedule, help your child create a daily to-

do list so they get in the habit of writing things down

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Note-Taking

Use a graphic organizer (Venn diagram, story maps, 5Ws) related to

the material to organize main ideas and details.

Use a graphic organizer (Venn diagram, story maps, 5Ws) related to

the material to organize main ideas and details.

Write down main ideas of each paragraph

Write down main ideas of each paragraph

Record a question related to each

paragraph and then record the answers to

identify main ideas and details

Record a question related to each

paragraph and then record the answers to

identify main ideas and details

Create an outline to record main ideas and

details

Create an outline to record main ideas and

details

Use active listening strategies to draw

conclusions, identify main ideas, and follow instructions and use

abbreviations to quickly record information

Use active listening strategies to draw

conclusions, identify main ideas, and follow instructions and use

abbreviations to quickly record information

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How To Avoid Test Taking Anxiety

Kids can experience anxiety before tests or major deadlines

Help your child combat test anxiety by:• Using a study process to make sure he or she is fully prepared• Teaching them to breathe deeply whenever they feel tense

during a project or test• Using relaxation techniques to imagine or focus on a calming or

happy place• Having them visualize success

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How Sylvan Learning Can Help

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Sylvan Advanced Study Skills

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Learn more!

Sylvan Learning of Overland Park913.681.1141

9165 W. 133rd StreetOverland Park, KS 66213

Sylvan Learning website: www.SylvanLearning.com/OverlandPark

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Questions?

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Thank You!